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Madrid Rebuffs Catalonia on Secession Vote

Spanish Government Spurns Offer to Negotiate Conditions of Referendum; Region's Leader Says It Will Pursue Anyway

By

David Román

Updated Jan. 16, 2014 1:10 p.m. ET

MADRID—Catalonia's parliament asked the Spanish central government for authority to hold a referendum on whether the wealthy region should secede from Spain, a request immediately rebuffed in the latest jousting over a vote planned for Nov. 9.

Thursday's resolution to formally seek approval from the central government offered Madrid an opportunity to negotiate the conditions of a vote. But a spokesman said there had been no change in Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's vow to bar any balloting on the issue, which Madrid says...